Inhalers

I've been taking Ventolin from a young age, and it seems they've discontinued it. I'm wondering what's replaced it as the standard inhaler? Over the years I've had doctors prescribe me various brands of Albuterol, mainly generics but I feel a bit out of the loop, and never get the feeling they're up on things either. I was taught to take puffs when needed, and I usually wait till I'm pretty congested before pulling them out. So I'm not looking for anything I would have to take every day, or every four hours in order for it to work.

I agree - why not just get albuterol? What's the problem? I was on Ventolin for a long time, but the first time several years ago that I was offered generic albuterol, I took it and it's all I ask for now -it's so much less expensive than the brand name, and it has the same effect.

Woohoo!!!! I was really interested in Xopenex, because Albueterol makes me sick to my stomach and shaky and tachycardic. I asked my doctor to let me try xopenex, but she said my asthma is too severe for xopenex, and I should be using albueterol. Maybe now that it will be availible in an inhaler I have it for just when I need a little boost.

Woohoo!!!! I was really interested in Xopenex, because Albueterol makes me sick to my stomach and shaky and tachycardic. I asked my doctor to let me try xopenex, but she said my asthma is too severe for xopenex, and I should be using albueterol. Maybe now that it will be availible in an inhaler I have it for just when I need a little boost.

Interestingly enough, when I was in the hospital I had very little response to two albuterol neb treatments, while the first xopenex treatment gave me significant relief. I was under the impression that xopenex was a better treatment - period (just more expensive, that's why it's not used as much). Plus, I, like you, had horrible tachycardia and shakes on the albuterol. I was told that the xopenex is a lot easier on your heart than albuterol.

Interesting. I wouldn't imagine cost is an issue, because I have great insurance and my doctor readily put my sister on it (she had bronchitis, but doesn't have asthma). I then asked to go on it too, and they said that medicine needs to shake you up a bit to work, and that xopenex would do nothing for me. Maybe I'll ask again next time I go.

Swimfast - I definitely had xopenex in the hospital and while I know that it is albuterol w/o the isomer, I also know that it worked to stop my attack whereas two (or three, can't remember) albuterol nebs only lasted about 45 minutes to an hour tops.

One question I have is why if it is the same strength, is the normal dosage supposed to be every 8 hours when the albuterol nebs are every 4. During the attack, while in the hospital they were going to give me albuterol every two hours (but I never made it that long), but when they switched to xopenex the orders went to every 4 hours (and I had no problem lasting that long). To me that suggests that the xopenex is indeed more potent.